Play Book Tag discussion
Footnotes
>
Tuesday Reading Kaffeeklatsch: 4/6/2021
date
newest »
newest »
Happy to see that everyone is starting to get out and about and making travel plans! I'm looking forward to seeing Tessa (BC) and Robin P in person somewhere in WI. Let me know if you want me to stop and pick up a pie LOL! It's wonderful to see the world start to open up again .... although these variants are starting to scare me. But like several of you, I have received my second vaccine shot (yesterday). So far, only a very sore arm - worse than the first time. Crossing my fingers it won't get much worse.Charlotte - a Vizsla and two rescue dogs. You are going to have a full house!
Somehow I managed to use up almost all of my vacation time in planned trips. My river cruise that was originally supposed to be in June 2020 has been moved to November. And I have been making plans for multiple extended weekend trips in the back half of the year - two stitching retreats, two Outlander retreats / conferences, a few family weekends.In fact, I will be making flight reservations for one of the stitching retreats after I get off Goodreads. And, ironically, it wouldn't have happened if it hadn't been for COVID. This is a group a women who cross-stitch that I have been Zooming with since last summer. I didn't know most of them before then. We are getting together for five days of stitching and visiting local needlework shops - after we are all vaccinated - in Salt Lake City, UT in August. It will be nice to meet everyone in person.
Jason - So happy for you that you will begin to start socializing with friends and family again! And if I am able to visit my mother in northern FL, I'll only be 15 miles from the GA border. Just sayin'!
I hope to work in a trip to the east coast next year - to see Theresa, Amy, Karin (anyone else?) - and a good Outlander friend who lives on Long Island.
I'm 65 miles from state line, coming down I-75
@Miriam-nice to hear from you! I have thought of you every time I saw news on the pandemic in Europe. So glad you are still healthy!
Amy wrote: "I guess I have 24 hours on the edges to finish the damn thing a second time. Theresa recommend Ed I just skim it. So that is the necessary plan...."I don't remember where I learned this trick but I've used it many a time and have recommended it to others in the same situation (i.e. book club picks a book you read 1+ years ago and you need to refresh your memory.)
1) Read the first chapter in entirety.
2) Read the first sentence of each succeeding chapter until...
3) Read the last chapter in entirety.
You will be surprised how much of the book you remember.
A few times I've found myself reading the first sentence on each page after that first chapter for a more "detailed" refresher.
Robin P wrote: "Amy wrote: "Well I have some interesting news. Had my second dose of Moderna yesterday in the early AM, and I feel great! I think I am somewhere between 92 and 96%. Even my arm has been barely sore..."I am the same - especially for books like Circe where the chance to discuss it in person may not have happened previously. Of course, I only have one IRL book club...Feminerdy which is fantasy/scifi so I don't always participate if strays too far from the narrow path of that genre I read.
Book Concierge wrote: "Amy wrote: "I guess I have 24 hours on the edges to finish the damn thing a second time. Theresa recommend Ed I just skim it. So that is the necessary plan...."I don't remember where I learned th..."
That's cool! I have done something similar when needed (I have a pretty strong memory for what I read -- handy when you are a lawyer), and although probably not first page of every chapter - more like a quick check of beginning of certain chapters.
Doughgirl5562 wrote: "Happy to see that everyone is starting to get out and about and making travel plans! I'm looking forward to seeing Tessa (BC) and Robin P in person somewhere in WI. Let me know if you want me to st..."It occurs to me that with warm weather, you could make it a picnic in a state or local park that has picnic tables.
Amy wrote: "I don't remember where I learned this trick but I've used it many a time and have recommended it to others in the same situation (i.e. book club picks a book you read 1+ years ago and you need to refresh your memory.)1) Read the first chapter in entirety.
2) Read the first sentence of each succeeding chapter until...
3) Read the last chapter in entirety."
Thanks! I'll try this. I think it will come in handy. Just last week I had book club for a book that I read two years ago - but didn't have time to re-read before this meeting.
Thirty percent through. Hoping to get to 50% by tonight.
Miriam wrote: "Hi everyone,I have been following your conversations in the past weeks and your meetings and/or meeting ideas sound a little like utopia for me, especially since they involve travel. Even though ..."
Good hearing from you, Miriam!
Watching Europe is so nerve-wracking ... of course not every state in US is doing as well as NY or every city like NYC... not by a long shot. Even plans being made are very cautious. I am rather surprised when I see friends planning and booking trips abroad in fall. I think personally that is presumptive, but it is not my decision.
We are a long way globally from having COVID under any kind of control.
I am supposed to be on a Danube Christmas Market River Cruise in December running between Prague and Budapest! This was postponed from December 2020. Organizers are still claiming it is a go but I have real concerns on many levels, not just what will actually be open. Not least of which is my travel friend may not be able to be vaccinated or it won't 'take' due to a very specific allergy she has - her doctor is trying to figure it out. Meanwhile her state is way behind anyway in vaccine rollout.
I am strongly leaning on bailing out on her. We will see. It was going to be such a fab trip with a few days in Paris on way (my travel friend has never been there), extra time in Prague and Budapest where I have never been, a chance to revisit Nurnburg for first time since 1976, and several other cities I either have never visited or last visited in 1976 when a student. *sigh*
Being in NYC the dearth of tourists is mind-boggling. So many hotels shuttered...the recent state budget includes funding to be used to provide incentives to turn empty hotels and office buildings into affordable housing. That tells me that they do not see demand for hotels returning to prepandemic levels any time soon.
Major cities in Europe must be facing the same.
Book Concierge wrote: "Amy wrote: "I guess I have 24 hours on the edges to finish the damn thing a second time. Theresa recommend Ed I just skim it. So that is the necessary plan...."I don't remember where I learned th..."
Of course, there is also my method of "just wing it". I am someone who can talk about just about anything, whether I know anything about it or not. The hardest part is remembering names of characters.
Theresa wrote: "Miriam wrote: "Hi everyone,I have been following your conversations in the past weeks and your meetings and/or meeting ideas sound a little like utopia for me, especially since they involve trave..."
I am not sure what happens with hotels and such here. I am unsure how much of the relatively stable economic situation here is due to the fact that the government is granting financial support.
As concerns travelling, I am the same as you, Theresa. I don't think it will be possible under nearly 'normal' conditions any time soon. I actually can't understand people who are making travel plans for the rest of the year. I feel like I would be pushing my luck if I did.
And that said, my sabbatical year starts in the summer! Unlike a colleague who postponed hers for a year, I am looking forward to it, nonetheless.
I am planning to move to Berlin and to explore the city (as far as possible under pandemic conditions) instead of maybe travelling abroad or even in Germany. But I do hope, travelling abroad will be possible again safely from the beginning of the next year.
Fear not Robin! With my excellent skimming skills I have hit 70%, and I have two flag football games and two basketball games to finish it off!
Jason wrote: "That would be amazing if it works out. 3 Hrs is not that big of a deal. Could make a weekend out of it. I drive the 3 hrs for Braves games several times a year. Best wishes to your son."
Okay, now I have to remember where you live. More likely I will mention any states we're going to visit here. At least Georgia is smaller than Texas ;). He has two schools he might be applying to there. Texas has two good orchestra schools that also have good trumpet teachers. Massachusetts has only one school his teacher recommended for that combination (but a number of great trumpet teachers).
However, I am leery of schools with teachers who might be nearing retirement age. Nothing worse than going to one of those and the teacher you want retires right then or halfway through.
Jason wrote: "No, my job move would have been to Lafayette, Louisiana. I work for an independent bottler and distributor of Coca Cola and they do not cover Texas. With my previous job, I went to Texas on a busin..."
If you'd gone there, it's about 3 hours 40 minutes to another school my son may be applying to (Shepherd School of Music)
Miriam wrote: "Hi everyone,I have been following your conversations in the past weeks and your meetings and/or meeting ideas sound a little like utopia for me, especially since they involve travel. Even though ..."
It's great to see you again. I hope Germany is able to get their vaccination program going more swiftly at some point. Canada also got far behind as well. My over 80 parents have only had their first one so far. (my dad is 88, my mother nearly 83)
Amy wrote: "Well I have some interesting news. Had my second dose of Moderna yesterday in the early AM, and I feel great! I think I am somewhere between 92 and 96%. Even my arm has been barely sore. I’m at the..."Wow, that's excellent--and closer, too. Plus, it's a smaller student body than many without being really tiny. You have the merch--did you visit the campus? I am a bit behind in all of this.
Amy wrote: "Twice! He loves it there!"Excellent--that's always a plus, and I'm really happy for him--finding a place you love is the best.
I got my first Covid vaccination--Moderna. As we've said before (those of us from MA), you get what you get here with no choice, but I wanted a 2 shot one so am happy that it's this and not Johnson & Johnson. So far, no immediate allergic reaction, but it hasn't been 4 hours. Still, this is looking good. One more to go.
Karin wrote: "I got my first Covid vaccination--Moderna. So far, no immediate allergic reaction, but it hasn't been 4 hours. Still, this is looking good. One more to go."🎈🎈🎈whoop!
Congrats to you, Karin! Me, I don't want the Astra Zeneca. I've had a blood clot before and really don't want another! (Though, yes, I do know that it's rare and they can't even say for sure it's the vaccine that caused them.)
At the moment, they've restricted the ages of people who can get the AZ shot here, and I don't fit into that range, but that's not to say they might not change it again later.
@LibraryCin: The Astra Z vaccine is currently stopped completely here in Norway (and Denmark I think), as the scientists here have concluded that there is a connection with the blod clots and the vaccine (4 relatively young Health care workers, all women, have died from the complications). They are now thinking of restricting it to only elderly above 65, but they haven’t concluded yet - so it might not be further used here at all. The Johnson is also put on pause. I understand they need to be careful, but still the percentage getting ill is really low. So I will take anything I can get, and just be very aware of any potential side effects. But I am in the lowest priority group (relatively healthy in my late 30s) so it looks like it will be a long time until I will get vaccinated. My father just received his appointment for his first Phizer shot, while my mother is still waiting. It will be a great, great day when they both are finally vaccinated 🥳
It’s going REALLY slow over here in Europe (except UK), and all shopping centers and restaurants serving alcohol have been closed since Nov 9 here, sigh. Glad to see much faster progress over in the US.
A friend currently living in Belgrade received his first Astra- Z shot shortly before the news about clotting side effect started circulating. He gets his second in the first week of June before returning to the US. He had almost no side effects to that first shot. We all worry now since the clot problem news has spread because he has a lot of medical issues, including still recovering from an acute subdural hematoma 5 years ago that generally kills outright, yet he not only survived, but is thriving for someone who went through something like that. It is likely that the extensive meds he is on include an anti-coagulent thus countering the side effect risk. He is also male and 65 yo.The world did not have the luxury of studying and testing these vaccines as extensively as might have been wished, although given the work done on other vaccines much was known already. In some ways we are all testing them.
Yup, they've stopped giving Astra Zeneca in Denmark as well. We're slowly starting a reopening (lockdown since dec 9), and so far no 3rd wave like Germany and several other European countries (crossing fingers). My mother and mother-in-law just got their first vaccine yesterday (Pfizer). If it goes according to plan I'm in the group that gets it in May/June (I'm mid-40's). I'll believe it when I see it is my new motto. Travel plans still feel a bit optimistic, but a proper family gathering with more than 2 extra people in the summer is what I'm aiming for. And visitors for my birthday in June, outside.
Hilde wrote: "@LibraryCin: The Astra Z vaccine is currently stopped completely here in Norway (and Denmark I think), as the scientists here have concluded that there is a connection with the blod clots and the v..."I had heard today about the J&J, as well. We don't have any here in Canada (yet), but they were supposed to be coming.
They switched things for the AZ vaccine a few weeks ago, so it's only 55-64 age range getting it. I'm 48. But, I wouldn't be surprised if they switched things again.
They keep trying to tell people to take the first vaccine available to them, as there are others out there hesitant for the AZ. And I want a vaccine, I do. Just not the AZ.
ETA: If I had never had a blood clot, I probably wouldn't care. There are other medications with blood clots as potential side effects, as well. But, I hesitate.
And I'm not sure where we are at, in comparison to the rest of the world with our vaccine rollout, but I think we are behind more Western countries.
Just found this article:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/canada...
I guess if we compare 1st shots, we're not bad. But that's because here they are spreading out the two shots by 4 months(!!!!!). Longest stretch in the world. I worry about that.
Robin P wrote: "Of course, there is also my method of "just wing it". I am someone who can talk about just about anything, whether I know anything about it or not. The hardest part is remembering names of characters..."Ha ha ha .... my husband frequently states "I can talk for 5 minutes on anything..."
Asking questions is also a good tactic! "Why do you think that?"
Let's do it! I know multiple good books - some I've read and some I haven't .... that feature pies.